<html> <body> Robert, You start by looking for foreign objects or substances or broken parts.  Eliminating that you move on to friction concerns.  Front-rail key-pin friction (rust on pin?), center-rail pin friction, does the key return to its upright position?  I've been living with an imported Chinese grand on my floor, a rather rough jewel.  There was lots of key easing to do.  Eventually after that there were two that started to not come up, hammer flange friction turned out to be the culprit, ream & re-pin. When I started in Piano Technology I lived far away from the nearest PTG chapter, four hours over three snowy mountain passes.  I missed out on a lot.  If there is an active chapter meeting regularly within reasonable distance, join.  The Randy Potter course is probably the most comprehensive correspondence course available. Good Luck, Andrew At 09:31 PM 9/25/2005, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Hi Robert, Please take no offense, but join PTG and start attending meetings and classes offered at conventions. You show good instincts in your post and I can relate to your present situation as I was once there also. Looking at the parts for missing felts and things may enable you to get the key to function but other parts such as springs and regulation distances are sometimes so small in their differences, that it is impossible to detect any thing wrong by looking. Only the knowledge of what it should do for each action assembly sometimes solves a problem. Depending on your relationship with the piano owner,  explain what they should expect of your efforts. Remember the doctor should do no harm idea and do the best you can. I use to give the warning that if I did not fix it there would be no charge. Good luck PS Randy Potter,     Google that name <G> Joe Goss RPT Mother Goose Tools <a href="mailto:imatunr@srvinet.com">imatunr@srvinet.com</a> <a href="http://www.mothergoosetools.com" eudora="autourl"> www.mothergoosetools.com</a> <dl> <dd>----- Original Message ----- <dd>From: <a href="mailto:rfinley@rcn.com">Robert Finley</a> <dd>To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a> <dd>Sent: Sunday, September 25, 2005 7:43 PM <dd>Subject: Repair and Tuning of Estey Baby Grand <dd>I have been asked to tune someone's Estey baby grand piano. The owner told me that one of the notes on the piano doesn't work, but I have absolutely no information about the problem, and will have to wait until I see and inspect the piano. I assume I will have to fix the problem before I start the tuning, but wonder how I should approach this. <dd>  <dd>I presume I will take the action out, compare the action of the faulty note with its neighbor's, and diagnose and fix the problem. I am not sure what supplies and parts I should bring along in order to repair the note. There could be dozens of reasons why the note doesn't work, involving any of dozens of parts. Maybe there will be a broken part that cannot be repaired, and a new one has to be ordered (if it is even possible to get replacement parts for this brand of piano or something close), so the problem couldn't be fixed there and then. Please could you advise me how I should deal with this problem so that I can keep the customer satisfied and happy? Thank you very much. <dd>  <dd>Robert Finley </dl></blockquote></body> </html>